Track laying machine for renewing rails

ABSTRACT

A track building machine (34) for the renewal of tracks, essentially comprising a machine frame (1), supported on rail mountings (2, 3), having a work aggregate (38) exhibiting devices (5, 6, 7) for preparing a ballast bed, for lifting out old ties (8) and for laying new ties (9), and additionally comprising devices (35, 36, 10, 11, 12) for transporting the old and new ties (8, 9) and for raising, guiding and stretching apart old rails (13). For the support of the rail mounting (3) in working deployment, which rail mounting is disposed directly in front of the work aggregate (38) in the direction of working, a slide mechanism (18) is provided, which is rollable on the old ties (8). The work aggregate (38) for lifting out the old and laying the new ties (8, 9), outside a section limited by the rail mountings (2, 3) connected to the machine frame (1), is fastened on an extension arm (4) prolonging the machine frame (1). Between the extension arm (4) and the work aggregate (38) there is provided a vertical-adjustment device (20).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a track building machine for the renewal oftracks, comprising a machine frame, supported on rail mountings, havinga work aggregate exhibiting devices for preparing a ballast bed, forlifting out old ties and for laying new ties, having devices fortransporting the old and new ties and for raising, guiding andstretching apart old rails and having a slide mechanism, which isrollable on the old ties, for supporting a rail mounting in workingdeployment, which rail mounting is disposed directly in front of thework aggregate in the direction of working.

PRIOR ART

A track building machine of this type is already known by virtue of EP 0168 103 A2. This machine comprises a first machine frame which issupported on two rail mountings and to which a second machine frame isattached. The latter is supported against the track, at its rear end inthe direction of working, by a rail mounting. Directly nearby there isprovided a vertically adjustable chain mounting, which is supported uponthe newly laid ties as the said rail mounting is raised in workingdeployment. The rear rail mounting of the first machine frame, which islocated in the region of the articulation, is deposited in workingdeployment onto a slide mechanism, which, for its part, is movable onthe old ties.

From DE 29 09 575 B, a mobile device for laying rails and/or ties of atrack is known, which exhibits two machine frames interconnected at oneend by an articulated arrangement and resting respectively, at the otherend, on a respective mounting, and in which the work aggregate forreceiving the old ties and for laying the new ties and the devices forstretching apart the old rails and for laying the new rails are disposedbetween the two said mountings. In addition, in the region of thearticulated arrangement of the two machine frames, a central mounting isprovided, which is provided during the work phase with a slide mechanismwhich is displaceable directly on the ties of the track such that it islaterally guided by these.

A further type of the known track building machines for the renewal oftracks is described in DE 28 18 514 B. Here a mobile device for thecontinuous exchange or renewal of a track comprising rails and ties isrepresented, which device consists of a vehicle convoy, the mainreconstruction part of which is configured as a supporting frame, whichis mounted with both ends on rail mountings and on which, between themountings, there are fitted the work elements for the exchange orrenewal of the rails and/or ties. The supporting frame of this machineis formed from 2 frame parts interconnected in an articulated mannerexhibiting, in the region beneath the frame articulation, a verticallyadjustable third rail mounting. In a variant of this invention, there isprovided in the region of the frame articulation an additional,vertically adjustable portal running gear for the temporary support ofthe supporting frame during the work journey, the portal running gearbeing movable on the new rails mounted in front in the front-head regionof the ties.

The aforementioned known machines of the generic type exhibit a total oftwo machines or frame parts interconnected in an articulated manner, towhich the work elements are fitted. The effect of this arrangement isthat the machines require a large structural length, a heavy weight andcorrespondingly high costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a track buildingmachine for the renewal of tracks, which avoids the above-stateddrawbacks of the known machine types and which, combined with astructural simplification and a low-cost construction, guarantees aqualitatively improved and operationally easier functioning.

This object is achieved according to the invention, using a trackbuilding machine of the generic type, by virtue of the fact that thework aggregate for lifting out the old and laying the new ties, outsidea section limited by the rail mountings connected to the machine frame,is fastened on an extension arm prolonging the machine frame, and thatbetween the extension arm and the work aggregate there is provided avertical-adjustment device. The measures according to the inventionenable the development of a track building machine for the renewal oftracks, which is distinguished by a simple and compact design which isshortened, in particular, in terms of the structural length. Thesuspension of the work aggregate from an extension arm jutting out abovethe rear rail mounting allows swift and simple functioning, which can becontrolled by the operating staff in a clear-sighted manner. Workquality is guaranteed by the new ties being precisely deposited onto theballast bed prepared by suitable devices, without the laid new tieshaving once again to be touched prior to the laying of the new rails.The risk of unwanted displacements of the new ties, resulting in asubsequent qualitatively deficient track bed, is thereby largelyeliminated. The short design of the machine allows simple maneuveringand travel access to tight curves in the track and to locations havingcramped spatial conditions.

An advantageous refinement of the invention consists in the fact that asupporting frame of the work aggregate, which supporting frame isconnected to the vertical-adjustment devices, is connected at its rearend in the direction of working to a vertically adjustable auxiliaryrail mounting. This design variant creates, for transport journeys,improved travel conditions, since the not insignificant mass of the workaggregate is supported on the track by an additional rail mounting andthe rear rail mounting of the machine frame or main frame is therebyrelieved of load. At the same time, without any adverse effect upon thework quality and without any significant extension of the structurallength, an improved maneuverability of the track building machine andthe possibility of fitting traction and buffing gears in its rear regionis thereby achieved.

In the embodiment according to claim 5, a yet more far-reachingadvantage is created by the fact that a transport vehicle is provided,which is supported on rail mountings and exhibits a loading platform forsupporting the work aggregate during machine transport and which can bereleasably connected by a coupling device to the rear end of the machineframe in the direction of working. This advantageous embodiment has theeffect, for transport and maneuvering journeys, of providing exemptionfrom burdensome provisions under railroad transport regulations, sincethe traction forces and shock forces which are generated duringconveyance in the train convoy are able to be conducted by theadditional transport vehicle directly into the machine frame or mainframe, without these traction and shock forces having to pass throughthe work aggregate and the backwardly protruding extension arm. Complexconstructions in this region of the machine, for absorbing theconsiderable shock and traction forces in transport operations, arethereby superfluous. The machine is thus easily transportable from oneconstruction site to the other.

A further advantageous embodiment according to claim 6 envisages thatthe work aggregate is equipped, in its rear end region in the directionof working, with devices for laying rails onto the ties. This embodimentallows the machine to be equipped, by simple and inexpensive means, forthe complete renewal of the track and enables not only ties but alsorails to be exchanged. This embodiment allows new rails to be placedonto the new ties, so that the machine leaves behind it a fully renewedtrack on which only the rail screw-connections still have to be fitted.The facility herein exists both for reintroducing the old rails, whichwere stretched out for the exchange of the ties, and laying them on thenew ties (changing only the ties, whilst the old rails are reused) and,indeed, for laying new rails onto the new ties, the new rails havingpreviously been deposited on the track, preferably in front of the tieheads.

A further variant envisages a track building machine according to claim7, in which the additional transport vehicle, which primarily serves todeposit the work aggregate in the transport setting, is equipped withdevices for laying rails onto the ties. In order to be able to lower thework aggregate during the work phase into the work setting, theadditional rail vehicle is carried along behind the machine, by means ofa distance coupler, at the spacing necessary for optimal functioning,the laying of the rails being effected from the additional transportvehicle. The distance coupler is expediently configured such that theenergy which is necessary for the laying of the rails can also be passedvia it from the track building machine to the transport vehicle. Inorder to be able to drive the transport vehicle, during the transportsetting, beneath the work aggregate which has been raised for thispurpose, the devices for laying the new rails, the work post earmarkedfor this purpose and any further work elements should expediently bedesigned to be foldable and/or displaceable. This embodiment allows thetransport vehicle to be carried along in a simple manner during thework, without any need for it to have a dedicated drive system andenergy supply. At the same time, the laying of the new rails is able tobe carried out from the transport vehicle, a variable distance couplerlength enabling the work to be conducted in an optimal andmaterial-saving manner.

An advantageous combination of the track building machine according tothe invention is one which, according to claim 8, has a transportvehicle which is designed for working deployment behind the trackbuilding machine and has a vehicle frame supported on rail mountings, adrive unit, a driving or operating cab having a central control unit,and devices--vertically and laterally adjustable--which are provided inthe region of the driving or operating cab and jut out over the end ofthe vehicle frame, for guiding and depositing rails on ties.

The advantage of this system is that the transport vehicle, during thework phase, is able to operate fully independently of the track buildingmachine. This can be advantageous for the laying of the new rails, sincethis can be done independently of the speed of advance of the trackbuilding machine. This independence simultaneously enables otheroperations as well, such as material or passenger transport or otherfunctions, to be carried out on the track by use of the additionaltransport or rail-laying vehicle provided with its own drive and energysupply. This therefore offers greater flexibility for the execution ofthe entire track renewal construction project and can thus yield overallsavings in terms of costs and labor expenditure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained below with reference to illustrativeembodiments which are represented diagrammatically:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a first design variant of thetrack building machine according to the invention,

FIG. 1a shows a schematic top view of the machine according to FIG. 1,exhibiting the front chassis, the means for stretching apart and guidingthe old rails, slide mechanisms which move on the ties after they havebeen freed from the rails, and the work aggregate having devices forreceiving the old ties, a device for preparing the ballast bed and thedevice for laying new ties,

FIG. 2 shows the enlarged, rear part of the track building machineaccording to FIG. 1, exhibiting an auxiliary rail mounting, in worksetting,

FIG. 2a represents the same embodiment in transport setting,

FIG. 3 represents a further design variant of the track buildingmachine, exhibiting a transport vehicle which is designed to support thework aggregate during the passing-over journeys,

FIG. 4 illustrates a design variant of the track building machineexhibiting a device for laying the rails onto the new ties,

FIG. 4a shows the same design variant in transport setting, the workaggregate provided at the rear machine end being supported on anadditional transport vehicle coupled to the main frame,

FIG. 5 shows the transport vehicle which is coupled to the trackbuilding machine by means of a distance coupler and which exhibitsdevices for laying the new rails and a device for keeping the new railson track,

FIG. 5a shows the same design variant in transport setting, and

FIG. 6 shows a combination of an independent transport or rail-layingvehicle having its own drive and energy supply and the track buildingmachine which is placed in front of it in the direction of workinging.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The drawings are shown in purely schematic representation so as tofacilitate understanding of the invention. They represent only certaindesign variants according to the invention; further variants covered bythe invention are conceivable, but are not represented.

The track building machine 34 exhibits a machine frame 1, which issupported on a front rail mounting 2 and a rear rail mounting 3. Juttingout over the rear rail mounting 3, in the direction of working, of themachine 34 is an extension arm 4, from which there are suspended, aswork elements for the track renewal, devices 5 for raising old ties 8,devices 6 for preparing the ballast bed and devices 7 for laying newties 9. 0n the machine frame or main frame 1 there are further provideddevices 35, 36, configured as conveyor belts, for carrying away the oldties 8 and delivering the new ties 9. The machine frame 1 additionallysupports devices 10, 11, 12 for raising, guiding and stretching apartthe old rails 13. The track building machine 34 is provided with a motorinstallation 14, which supplies the energy for work and for forwardtravel. The control of the basic work functions is carried out from theoperating cab 15 positioned behind the extension arm 4 in the directionof working, by use of a central control unit 39. In addition, a portalcrane 16 is provided for transportation of the old ties 8 and new ties9, which portal crane can be moved on the machine frame 1, and on anytie transport trucks which may have been coupled in front of it, bymeans of a running rail 17.

During the work phase, the rear rail mounting 3 is supported on slidemechanisms 18, which are movable on the old ties 8 of the old track 19,which have been freed from the old rails 13. The old ties 8 hereinsimultaneously provide lateral guidance, since the slide mechanisms 18expediently progress in the ribbed plates or in the region of the railbed.

The raising or lowering of a work aggregate 38 supporting the workelements or devices 5, 6, 7 on a supporting frame 37 is realized bysuitable hydraulic cylinders, described generally as avertical-adjustment device 20, which are attached to the extension arm 4and are connected by means of a roller 21 and a carrying cable 22, aswell as a lifting rod 23, to the work aggregate 38.

A mounting frame 24, which, according to FIG. 2, is attached as avariant of the invention to the work aggregate, supports an auxiliaryrail mounting 25, which rests only in the transport setting on the track26. By means of the vertical-adjustment device 20, the carrying cable 22and the lifting rod 23 are drawn in, whereby the work aggregate 38 israised, together with the supporting frame 37, into a transport setting(FIG. 2a). The auxiliary rail mounting 25 is fastened on the end side onthe mounting frame 24, which, for its part, is connected by its frontend in the direction of working, said front end lying opposite theauxiliary rail mounting 25, via an articulation 40 having a swivel axisrunning horizontally and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction ofthe machine, to the supporting frame 37. For the pivoting or verticaladjustment of the mounting frame 24, together with the auxiliary railmounting 25, a swivel drive 41 is provided. In order to enable the workaggregate 38 to be vertically adjusted, each device 35, 36 for thetransportation of the old and new ties, respectively, exhibits in itsrear end region an articulation 42. The supporting frame 37 is connectedby a link rod 43 in an articulated manner to the rear end of the machineframe 1.

As represented in FIG. 3, the track building machine 34 supports at therear end, in the direction of working (arrow), of its machine frame 1,traction and buffing gears 27, by means of which an additional transportvehicle 28 can be coupled up. This is supported on rail mountings 44 andexhibits a loading platform 45 for supporting the work aggregate 38during machine transport. As a result of this support, the rear mounting3 of the machine 34 is relieved of load. At the same time, the trackbuilding machine 34 can be configured for the transport journey as acontrol vehicle as defined under the pertinent railroad regulations,since the traction and shock forces which are generated in the transportoperations are conducted by the vehicle frame 46 of the additionaltransport vehicle 28 directly into the machine frame 1 of the trackbuilding machine 34.

As shown in FIG. 4, vertically and laterally adjustable devices 29 forlaying new rails 30 onto the laid new ties 9 are additionally attachedto the rear part of the track building machine 34. Expediently, the newrails 30 are pre-mounted for this purpose into the region in front ofthe tie heads or in the middle of the track. For the execution of a tierenewal only, the devices 29 can also be used, where appropriate, tore-lay the old rails 13 which were stretched apart as the ties wereexchanged.

Devices 47 for laying the rails onto the laid new ties 9 can also bedisposed on the additional transport vehicle 28. As represented in FIG.5, the devices 47 are attached to the front region of the transportvehicle 28. A distance coupler or distance rod 31 serves to carry alongthe transport vehicle 28 with the track building machine 34 duringworking. An operating cab 32 having a control unit 48 is provided on thetransport vehicle 28 displaceably in the longitudinal direction of thelatter, thereby enabling it to be moved, in the transport setting, tothe rear end of the transport vehicle 28. A loading platform 45 of thevehicle frame 46 can be used to support the work aggregate 38 during themachine transport.

In the design variant shown in FIG. 6, the additional transport vehicle28 is provided with its own drive unit 33, which allows forward traveland work to be carried out independently of the track building machine34 and independently of the speed of advance of the latter.

    ______________________________________                                        Reference symbol listing                                                      ______________________________________                                         1             machine frame                                                   2             front rail mounting                                             3             rear rail mounting                                              4             extension arm                                                   5             device for lifting out                                                        old ties                                                        6             device for preparing                                                          ballast bed                                                     7             device for laying new                                                         ties                                                            8             old ties                                                        9             new ties                                                       10             device for raising old                                                        rails                                                          11             device for guiding old                                                        rails                                                          12             device for stretching                                                         apart old rails                                                13             old rails                                                      14             motor installation                                             15             operating cab                                                  16             portal crane                                                   17             running rail                                                   18             slide mechanism                                                19             old track                                                      20             vertical-adjustment                                                           device                                                         21             roller                                                         22             carrying cable                                                 23             lifting rod                                                    24             mounting frame                                                 25             auxiliary rail mounting                                        26             track                                                          27             coupling device                                                28             transport vehicle                                              29             device for laying rails                                        30             new rails                                                      31             distance rod                                                   32             operating cab                                                  33             drive unit                                                     34             track building machine                                         35             device (transportation of                                                     old ties)                                                      36             device (transportation of                                                     new ties)                                                      37             supporting frame                                               38             work aggregate                                                 39             central control unit                                           40             articulation                                                   41             swivel drive                                                   42             articulation                                                   43             articulated rod                                                44             rail mounting                                                  45             loading platform                                               46             vehicle frame                                                  47             device for laying rails                                        48             control unit                                                   ______________________________________                                    

What is claim is:
 1. A track building machine for the renewal of tracks,comprising a single machine frame (1) with a front and a rear endsupported on two rail mountings (2, 3) having a work aggregate (38)exhibiting devices (5, 6, 7) for preparing a ballast bed, for liftingout old ties (8) and for laying new ties (9), having devices (35, 36,10, 11, 12) for transporting the old and new ties (8, 9) and forraising, guiding and stretching apart old rails (13) and having a slidemechanism (18), which is rollable on the old ties (8), for supportingthe rail mounting (3) in working deployment, which rail mounting isdisposed directly in front of the work aggregate (38) in the directionof working, wherein the work aggregate (38) for lifting out the old andlaying the new ties (8, 9) is located outside a section of the machineframe (1) between the rail mountings (2, 3) connected to the machineframe (1) and is fastened on an extension arm (4) which juts out overthe rear end of the machine frame (1), and wherein between the extensionarm (4) and the work aggregate (38) there is provided avertical-adjustment device (20).
 2. The machine as claimed in claim 1,wherein a supporting frame (37) of the work aggregate (38), whichsupporting frame is connected to the vertical-adjustment devices (20),is connected at its rear end in the direction of working to a verticallyadjustable auxiliary rail mounting (25).
 3. The machine as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the auxiliary rail mounting (25) is fastened on the endside on a mounting frame (24), which, for its part, is connected by itsfront end in the direction of working, said front end lying opposite theauxiliary rail mounting (25), via an articulation (40) having a swivelaxis running horizontally and perpendicular to the longitudinaldirection of the machine, to the supporting frame (37), and wherein, forthe pivoting of the mounting frame (24), a swivel drive (41) isprovided.
 4. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the workaggregate (38) exhibits, at its rear end in the direction of working, anoperating cab (15) having a central control unit (39).
 5. The machine asclaimed in claim 1, which has a transport vehicle (28), which issupported on rail mountings (44) and exhibits a loading platform (45)for supporting the work aggregate (38) during machine transport andwhich can be releasably connected by a coupling device (27) to the rearend of the machine frame (1) in the direction of working.
 6. The machineas claimed in claim 1, wherein the work aggregate (38) is equipped, inits rear end region in the direction of working, with devices (29) forlaying rails (30, 13) onto the ties (9).
 7. The machine as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the transport vehicle (28) is equipped with devices(47) for laying rails (30) onto the ties (9), and wherein--in workingdeployment--a distance coupler (31) is provided between the machineframe (1) and the transport vehicle (28).
 8. A system for the renewal oftracks, having a track building machine as claimed in claim 1, thesystem having a transport vehicle (28) which is designed for workingdeployment behind the track building machine (34) and has a vehicleframe (46) supported on rail mountings (44), a drive unit (33), adriving or operating cab (32) having a central control unit (48), anddevices (47)--vertically and laterally adjustable--which are provided inthe region of the driving or operating cab (32) and jut out over the endof the vehicle frame (46), for guiding and depositing rails (30, 13) onties (9).
 9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the vehicle frame(46) exhibits a loading platform (45) for supporting, during machinetransport, the work aggregate (38) connected to the machine frame (1).10. The system as claimed in one of claim 8, wherein the driving oroperating cab (32) and the devices (47) for guiding and depositing rails(30) are mounted displaceably on the vehicle frame (46) in thelongitudinal direction of the machine.